Wireless Phone Wallet

ABSTRACT

A method includes removing an adhesive backing from the back of a self-adhesive wallet and adhering the wallet to a handheld device or a case for the handheld device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.12/981,090, filed Dec. 29, 2010, by Sunder G. Jambunathan et al., titled“Wireless Phone Wallet,” now U.S. Pat. No. 8,726,952.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to add-on wallets for handheld devices, such aswireless phones, and methods for adding wallets to the handheld devices.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Wireless phones and wallets are indispensible part of modern life. Whatare needed are apparatus and methods that combine their functionalitiesto reduce the number of items a person carries.

SUMMARY

In one or more embodiment of the present disclosure, a wallet for ahandheld device includes a base having a front and a back, an elasticpocket fixed to the front of the base, an adhesive on the back of theflexible base, and a backing over the adhesive. The elastic pocket isstretchable to accommodate multiple cards and folded bills. The elasticpocket is made of a different material than the base.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a back view of a self-adhesive wallet fixed to a wirelessphone in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 shows a side cross-sectional view of the construction and theprocess of applying wallet of FIG. 1 in one or more embodiments of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 3 shows a back view of another self-adhesive wallet fixed to awireless phone in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 shows back view of a wallet case for a wireless phone in one ormore embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 shows a side cross-sectional view of the wallet of FIG. 4 in oneor more embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 shows a back view of another wallet case for a wireless phone inone or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 7 and 8 show back views of a strap wallet secured to a wirelessphone in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 shows a back view of a wallet secured to a wireless phone in oneor more embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 shows a front view of the wallet of FIG. 9 in one or moreembodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 11 shows a back view of a battery cover wallet for a wireless phoneand the process of applying the battery cover wallet in one or moreembodiments of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 12 shows a front view of a sleeve wallet for a wireless phone andthe process of applying the sleeve wallet in one or more embodiments ofthe present disclosure.

Use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similaror identical elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a back view of a self-adhesive wallet 100 fixed to awireless phone 102 in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.Wallet 100 has the capacity to hold multiple cards 104 and multiplefolded bills 106 for the user, thereby eliminating the need for the userto carry a wallet separate from wireless phone 102. Wireless phone 102may be an iPhone®, a Blackberry® device, or another wireless device.Cards 104 may be identification cards such as driver's license, creditcards, debit cards, smart cards, and RFID cards. Cards 104 typicallymeet the size and the thickness specified for ID-1 format by ISO/IEC7810 and 7813, which is 85.60 by 53.98 mm in size and 0.76 mm inthickness.

Wallet 100 has an opening on the top perimeter side and is closed on theother three perimeter sides. The top opening includes a thumb notch 108for easy removal of cards 104 and folded bills 106. Wallet 100 may haveone or more access holes 110 when the placement of the wallet obstructsany camera, microphone, and speaker built into wireless phone 102.Wallet 100 may be made of transparent materials so as not be obstructthe camera.

FIG. 2 shows a side cross-sectional view of the construction and theapplication of wallet 100 in one or more embodiments of the presentdisclosure. Wallet 100 includes a base 202, an elastic pocket 204, alayer of adhesive 206, and a backing 208. Base 202 is made of a flexiblematerial so it can conform to the shape of wireless phone 102. Forexample, base 202 is made of a flexible material such as plastic. Wallet100 may include a thin metal film 209, which is used to shield cards 104from electronic scanning (theft) of information on the cards. Metal film209 may be embedded in elastic pocket 204 or otherwise attached wallet100.

Elastic pocket 204 is dimensioned to be slightly larger than a standardcredit or ID card. Elastic pocket 204 is fixed on three sides to thefront of base 202 to provide an opening to an interior compartment 210for holding cards 104 and folded bills 106. Elastic pocket 204 may bebonded or sewed onto base 202. Elastic pocket 204 maintains a lowprofile and stretches as necessary to hold multiple cards 104 andmultiple folded bills 106 so they do not fall out of wallet 100. Elasticpocket 204 is made of a different material than base 202. For example,elastic pocket 204 is made of a flexible material such as rubber orspandex. Elastic pocket 204 may have a smooth exterior so it can beremoved from one's pocket, briefcase, bag, or purse without snagging.Elastic pocket 204 may have a tacky interior so cards 104 and foldedbills 106 do not fall out of wallet 100.

Adhesive 206 with backing 208 is disposed on the back of base 202.Adhesive 206 can be any common adhesive used to permanently orsemi-permanently affix objects. Backing 208 is removed prior to fixingwallet 100 to wireless phone 102. Wallet 100 has a smaller footprintthan the mobile phone 102.

FIG. 3 shows a back view of a self-adhesive wallet 300 fixed to wirelessphone 102 in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Wallet300 is a variation of wallet 100 (FIG. 1). Instead of an elastic pocket204 made of a single piece of material as in wallet 100, wallet 300 haselastic straps 302 that crosses between two or more perimeter sides ofbase 202. Like elastic pocket 204, elastic straps 302 maintains a lowprofile and stretches as necessary to hold multiple cards 104 andmultiple folded bills 106. Elastic straps 302 are made of similarmaterial as elastic pocket 204. Elastic straps 302 may also have asmooth exterior and a tacky interior.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a back view and a side cross-sectional view of awallet case 400 for wireless phone 102 (FIG. 5) in one or moreembodiments of the present disclosure. Wallet case 400 includes a mainbody 402 that secures to wireless phone 102 and leaves the displays andthe keys accessible to the user. Main body 402 is dimensioned accordingto wireless phone 102. Main body 402 defines an interior compartment 404to hold multiple cards 104 and multiple folded bills 106. Wallet case400 optionally includes thin metal film 209, which is used to shieldcards 104 from electronic scanning (theft) of information on the cards.Metal film 209 may be fixed to the top of main body 402 abovecompartment 404.

The width and height of interior compartment 404 are dimensioned to beslightly larger than those of a standard credit or ID card, and thedepth of the interior compartment is dimensioned to accommodate two ormore cards 104 and/or two or more folded bills 106. A top slot 406provides access to interior compartment 404, and a vertical thumb slot408 to the interior compartment allows easy removal of cards 104 andfolded bills 106. Wallet 400 has one or more access holes 410 for anycamera, microphone, and speaker built into wireless phone 102.

FIG. 6 shows a back view of a wallet case 600 for wireless phone 102 inone or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Wallet case 600 is avariation of wallet case 400 (FIGS. 4 and 5). Instead of a top slot 406as in wallet case 400, one or more side slots 602 provide access tointerior compartment 404. Instead of a vertical thumb slot opening 408as in wallet case 400, a horizontal thumb slot 604 allows easy removalof cards 104 and folded bills 106.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show back views of a strap wallet 700 secured to wirelessphone 102 in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Strapwallet 700 includes an elastic primary strap 702 and elastic crossstraps 704. Elastic primary strap 702 securely wraps around theperimeter of wireless phone 102. Elastic cross straps 704 form a patternacross primary strap 702 to hold multiple cards 104 and folded bills106. For example, cross straps 704 form a Y-pattern.

Elastic straps 704 maintain a low profile and stretches as necessary tohold multiple cards 104 and multiple folded bills 106. Elastic straps702 and 704 may have a smooth exterior so it can be easily removed fromone's pocket, briefcase, bag, or purse without snagging. Elastic straps702 and 704 may have a tacky interior so the former grips wireless phone102 and the latter prevents cards 104 and folded bills 106 from fallingout of strap wallet 700. For example, elastic straps 702 and 704 aremade of a flexible material such as rubber or spandex.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show back and front views of a wallet 900 secured towireless phone 102 in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.Wallet 900 has a pocket 902 and elastic grips 904 that extend atopposite corners of the pocket. Pocket 902 is dimensioned to be slightlylarger than a standard credit or ID card. Pocket 902 has an opening witha thumb notch 906 for easy removal of cards 104 and folded bills 106.Pocket 902 may be made of an elastic material to maintain a low profileand stretches as necessary to hold multiple cards 104 and multiplefolded bills 106. For example, pocket 902 is made of a flexible materialsuch as rubber or spandex. Elastic grips 904 are bonded or sewed ontopockets 902. Elastic grips 904 are stretched and fitted over oppositecorners of wireless phone 102 to secure wallet 900 using tension andfriction. For example, elastic grips 904 are made of a flexible materialsuch as rubber. Wallet 900 may have one or more access holes when theplacement of the wallet obstructs any camera, microphone, and speakerbuilt-into wireless phone 102. Wallet 900 may include a thin metal film,which is used to shield cards 104 from electronic scanning (theft) ofinformation on the cards. The metal film may be embedded in elasticpocket 902 or otherwise attached wallet 900.

FIG. 11 shows a back view of a battery cover wallet 1100 for wirelessphone 102 in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Batterycover wallet 1100 integrates the functions of a battery cover and awallet. Battery cover wallet 1100 includes a battery cover 1102 thatfits a battery compartment 1104 of wireless phone 102, and a pocket 1106for holding multiple cards 104 and folded bills 106.

A top slot 1108 provides access to an interior compartment 1110, and avertical thumb slot 1112 to the interior compartment allows easy removalof cards 104 and folded bills 106. The width and height of interiorcompartment 1110 are dimensioned to be slightly larger than those of astandard credit or ID card, and the depth of the interior compartment isdimensioned to accommodate two or more cards 104 and/or two or morefolded bills 106. Battery cover wallet 1100 may include one or moreaccess holes for any camera, microphone, and speaker built-into wirelessphone 102. Battery cover wallet 1100 may include a thin metal film,which is used to shield cards 104 from electronic scanning (theft) ofinformation on the cards. The metal film may be fixed to the top ofpocket 1106 above compartment 1110.

FIG. 12 shows a front view of a sleeve wallet 1200 for wireless phone102 in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Sleeve wallet1200 includes a sleeve 1202 with a top opening 1204, and a pocket 1206fixed to the sleeve. Sleeve 1202 and pocket 1206 are made of elasticfabric, and the pocket is sewn onto the sleeve. For example, sleeve 1202and pocket 1206 can be made of spandex. Wireless phone 102 slides intosleeve 1202 for protection and slide out from the sleeve for use. Pocket1206 is dimensioned to be slightly larger than a standard credit or IDcard. Pocket 1206 holds multiple cards 104 and folded bills 106. Pocket1206 includes a thumb notch 1208 at its opening for easy removal ofcards 104 and folded bills 106. Sleeve wallet 1200 may include a thinmetal film, which is used to shield cards 104 from electronic scanning(theft) of information on the cards. The metal film may be embedded inelastic pocket 1206 or otherwise attached wallet 1200.

Various other adaptations and combinations of features of theembodiments disclosed are within the scope of the present disclosure.Numerous embodiments are encompassed by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for providing a self-adhesive wallet toa handheld device or a case for the handheld device, comprising:removing an adhesive backing from the back of the wallet; and adheringthe wallet to the handheld device or the case for the handheld device.2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wallet includes an elastic pocketthat is stretchable to accommodate multiple cards and folded bills. 3.The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting a card into thepouch.
 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting a foldedbill into the pouch.